Textile machine

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for threading a textile machine comprising a double heater from a convenient level including means for carrying a yarn strand up the back of a heater on a textile machine and over the top thereof into contact with the heated zone in front of the heater.

United States Patent Inventor Daniel J. FIsher, Jr.

North Kingstown, RJ. Appl. No. 794,461 Filed Nov. 25, 1968 Division of Ser. No. 700,227. Jan. 24, 1968, abandoned Patented June 8, 1971 Assignee Leesonn Corporation Warwlck, 8.1.

TEXTILE MACHINE 21 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

U.S. CI. 57/106, 7 242/4703, 57/34 Int. Cl ..D0lh 13/04, DOlh 13/28, 1365b 51/00 FIeId of Search 57/34, 34

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,525,760 10/1950 Barker 2,545,015 3/1951 Barker 2,794,542 6/1957 Vandenburgh et a1. 3,094,761 6/1963 Dudzik 3,448,572 6/1969 Meronen FOREIGN PATENTS 733,651 7/1955 Great Britain Primary Examiner-Donald E. Watkins Attorney-Shaffert and Miller ABSTRACT: Apparatus for threading a textile machine comprising a double heater from a convenient IeveI including means for carrying a yarn strand up the back of a heater on a textile machine and over the top thereof into contact with the heated zone in front of the heater.

PATENTED JUN 8 l97| SHEET 1 0F 2 insxrnts MACHINE This is a division of application Ser. No. 700,227, filed Jan. 24, 1968, now abandoned.

FIELD OF INVENTION AND PRIOR ART This invention is directed apparatus for treating yarn. More particularly, the invention is directed apparatus for threading a textile machine and specifically to threading yarn around heater means utilized on a textile machine.

Various processes and machines are known for treating yarn to impart stretch characteristics thereto including Stoddard et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,803,105; 2,803,108; 2,803,109; and 2,891,376; and Dudzik et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,152,436. In the techniques employed, it is necessary to heat the yarn after it is taken from the feed roll and before being fed through a false twist spindle where twist characteristics are applied to the heated yarn. The heated zone is correlated to the linear travel of the yarn to supply sufficient heat thereto to effect the proper yarn setting which reorients the molecules of the yarn in the twisted formation to produce the crimped or coillike configuration characteristic of stretch yarn. Control of the temperature of the heated zone is necessary to avoid having the threads scorched and/or melted. Accordingly, as a result of increasing the speed of the twisting operation, i.e., the speed at which the yarn is fed to the twist spindle of the textile machine, to have the necessary residence time at the heater to impart the desired characteristics to the yarn, the length of heated zone has been increased to the point where the heated zone is relatively long.

More recently it has been found that advantageous characteristics are obtained in the yarn, at least for certain applications, by passing the yarn through a second heated zone after the yarn has been passed through the twist-imparting spindle. The postheating anneals, or resets, the yarn to give a limited, or reduced, amount of stretch to the yarn. In the construction of textile machines for carrying out the heating and postheating process, as a practical matter, in view of the need to conserve space and the like, it is necessary to have one heated zone above the other, and accordingly to place the takeup package above, or at substantially the same level, as the top of the second heated zone. Accordingly, because of the length of the heated zones and the need to position ancillary equipment in alignment with the heated zones, it is necessary to employ a catwalk or a ladder to permit a machine operator to thread up a twisting station. Because of the difficulty of constructing a catwalk and the dangers and inconvenience of having an operator use a catwalk or a ladder, the aforesaid features are a distinct disadvantage.

OBJECTS AND GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a simplified apparatus for threading up a textile machine.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus for the threading up of the textile machine.

It is another object of the invention to permit the threading of double heaters on a textile machine from one convenient level.

It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus for threading up a textile machine comprising a first and second heater, each having a front and back with said front having means for receiving a yarn strand comprising (1) feeding a yarn strand to the front of said first heater and to said means for receiving said strand; and (2) feeding said strand to the back of said second heater, and over the top thereof to the strand-receiving means in the front of the second heater.

It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus for threading up a textile machine comprising a first and second heater, each having a front and back with said front having means for receiving a yarn strand, comprising 1) feeding a yarn strand to the front of said first heater and to said means for receiving said strand; 2) attaching the yarn strand to yarn receiving means associated with means constructed and arranged with said second heater for carrying the yarn strand up the back of said second heater and over the top thereof to said means for receiving said yarn strand in said heater; and (3) actuating said yarn receiving means.

It is another object of this invention to provide a heater having a front and back with said front having means for receiving a yarn strand and means constructed and arranged with said heater for engaging a yarn strand and carrying said yarn strand in back of the heater and to said means for receiving a yarn strand in the front of said heater.

These and other objects of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following description with particular reference being placed upon the illustrative drawing.

Briefly, according to the present invention, in a conventional textile machine having an upper and lower heater, the upper heater is equipped with a tape having a yarn clip associated therewith which circumscribes the upper heater. The tape is associated with drive means coordinated with the conventional drive means of the textile machine, tape guide means on the heater, and actuating :means. An operator will attach a yarn which is to be threaded to the yarn clip, actuate the tape which will carry the yarn up the back of the heater and over the top thereof to the front of the heater for heating the yarn strand prior to a sequential operation which can include feeding the yarn to a pinch roll and/or to a takeup package.

The nature of the invention will be more fully apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments exemplified in the drawing where like numerals are utilized throughout to designate like parts.

DRAWING AND DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the drawing, FIG. I is a transverse sectional view through a multistage apparatus adapted to practice the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the upper heater section of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the drive mechanism for the tape of FIG. 2 showing its mode of operation in phantom lines;

FIG. 41 is a partial view of a second embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the drive wheel utilized in the embodiment of FIG. 4.

More specifically, referring primarily to FIG. 1, an apparatus upon which the present invention is adaptable comprises a multistation textile machine, each station comprising feed rolls 1 containing a yarn supply, a first or lower heater 2, a false twist spindle 3, a second or upper heater 4, pinch roll 5, and takeup package 6 or 6a. False twist spindles of the type used herein are fully described in Hilbert U.S. Pat. No. 3,074,226. Pinch rolls of the type used herein are described in commonly assigned MacDonald et al., U.S. application Ser. No. 504,810 filed Oct. 24, 1965, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,372,848. Rollers 7 and 8 are employed to apply tension to the yarn strand and to position the yarn in heating contact with heaters 2 and 41. Roller 8 is shown in the operative position in solid lines and in the relaxed position, which permits convenient threading of the machine, in broken .lines. Lower heater 2 is approximately 36 inches long and contains a slot or yarn receiving groove 2.11. Upper heater 4 is shorter, being approximately 18 inches long, having slots or grooves 4.1 for receiving the yarn strand. The temperature of the heaters is regulated to the temperature at which the yarn is desired to be processed with the length of the heater enabling the yarn to reach equilibrium temperature with the heater as it travels thereover. The temperature of the heater is maintained uniformly at a point below the temperature at which the yarn melts. Contact heaters in which the yarn is heated by contact with the heater plate are shown in the drawing. However, radiant heaters can be used wherein the yarn never contacts the heating element.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the upper heater is circumscribed by tape 9 which is in association with drive pulley I0, spring element lli, tensioning or idler pulley l2, and an actuating mechanism 13. The tape held in position on the heater by guides 4.2 and 4.3 carries a yarn clip 14 which preferably is constructed of hard rubber which extends the full width of the tape and protrudes on each side. The actuating mechanism 13 is pivotally attached to the frame of the textile machine at 13.1 by conventional means. When the lever 13 is depressed, roller 13.2 causes the tape to tighten depressing the free end of spring 11. As best seen in FIG. 3, spring element 11 attached to the frame of the textile machine at point 15 is slotted commencing at roller 11.1 which controls the point where the tape forces are primarily applied to spring 11. Accordingly, pulley 10 passes through the slotted spring when tension is applied to tape 9 by depressed actuating lever 13 to drive the tape. The movement of the spring in relation to the pulley is shown in phantom lines in FIG. 3. Necessarily, tape 9 must be wider than the slot in spring 11.

During the threading of the textile machine a yarn strand Y is drawn from feed roll 1, passed around tensioning rolls 7 and 8 while roll 8 is in the relaxed position and into alignment with groove 2.1 of heater 2, through false twist spindle 3 and attached to yarn clip 14. Tape actuator i3 is depressed applying tension to tape 9 causing spring element 11 to lower the tape onto the drive pulley connected to the feed roll drive shaft 16. The tape will carry the yarn behind upper heater 4, and since yarn clip 14 extends beyond tape 9, between cooperating yarn drive rolls l7 and 18, down the face of heater 4 where it is deflected into contact with heater grooves 4.1. When the yarn clip carrying the yarn strand has completed one revolution and reached substantially the lowermost point of travel of tape 9, i.e., the starting position, actuator 13 is released causing the tape to be lifted from drive pulley 10 stopping its movement. The yarn strand is then released from yarn clip 14 and passed through pinch rolls and alternate feed rolls 6 or 6a.

As fully apparent from FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the threading means constructed and arranged with the upper heater is extremely simple in construction and in operation. As is further apparent, the present invention permits the threading up of a textile machine employing an upper and lower heater from one convenient level and permits the positioning of the takeup rolls of the machine at a level substantially below the top of the upper heater. This expediency permits the installation of the textile device in locations having less head space than heretofore possible and, further, permits the threading up operation to be accomplished without the use of catwalk or ladder.

The embodiment shown in H0. 4 incorporates a method for indexing the tape one revolution. Accordingly, the embodiment employs an actuating mechanism referred to generally by numeral 20. The mechanism comprises a stop means 21 which is integrally attached to spring actuator means 22. When the actuator means is in the relaxed position, stop means 21 engages lugs 23 and 230 which are fixedly attached to tape 9. Tape 9, according to this embodiment, is always 21, actuator means 22 will be released and the tape will make one complete revolution returning to its original position and stop due to lugs 23 and 23a, again engaging stop means 21. In utilizing this embodiment, several stations of a multistation machine can be serviced more conveniently by a single operator. More specifically, an operator can thread one station up through the false twist spindle and attach the yarn to yarn clip M, depress the actuating mechanism 22 until yarn clip 14 gets past stop means 21, release the actuator and go on to the next station of the machine and start a new threading operation, being confident that the yarn can only make one revolution. Afterwards, the operator can return to the first station, remove the yarn strand from the yarn clip, and complete the threading up operation at that station. Moreover, there is no danger of an inattentive operator permitting the tape to continually move for more than one revolution, possible fouling the machine.

it should be appreciated that the instant invention is not to be construed as being limited by the illustrative embodiments. It is possible to produce still other embodiments without dcparting from the inventive concept herein disclosed. Such embodiments are within the ability of one skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for a textile machine comprising in combination heater means and means constructed and arranged with said heater means for receiving a yarn strand and carrying said yarn strand in back of said heater means and over the top thereof into contact with the front of said heater means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said latter means includes an endless tape having means fixedly attached thereto for holding a yarn strand.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said tape is constructed and arranged with driven pulley means and actuator means to drive said tape around said heater means when said actuator means is actuated.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said driven pulley means includes a spring element constructed and arranged therewith having a slot therein, said slot being wider in width than said pulley means and narrower in width than said tape, said actuator means being constructed and arranged with said tape and pulley means to bring sufficient tension to bear upon I said tape to cause said tape to depress said spring element, bringing said tape into contact with said pulley means.

5. A textile machine comprising in combination a lower heater and an upper heater, each of said heaters having a front and back and means constructed and arranged with said upper heater for (a) receiving a yarn at a point above said lower heater and below said upper heater and (b) carrying said yarn in back of said upper heater and over the top of the heater into contact with the front of said upper heater.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said latter means includes an endless tape having means fixedly attached thereto for holding a yarn strand.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said tape is constructed and arranged with driven pulley means and actuator means to drive said tape around said heater means when said actuator from driving said conveying means during the remainder of the cycle of operation of said textile machine.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said endless conveying means comprises a tape means.

lll. Apparatus for use in threading up a textile machine having elements defining a yarn path through said machine comprising endless conveying means having yarn holding means thereon to carry a yarn through at least a portion of said path to thread up at least one of said elements, and means to drive said endless conveying means, said driving means comprising pulley means and an actuator means, said actuator means comprising a movable member and a spring element, said spring element being placed in proximity to said pulley means and constructed with a slot therein, said slot being wider in width than said pulley means and narrower in width than said endless conveying means.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said movable member is movable into contact with said endless conveying means to bring sufficient tension to bear upon said endless conveying means to cause said endless conveying means to energize said spring element, bringing said endless conveying means into contact with said pulley means.

13. Apparatus for a textile machine comprising in combination a yarn processing element with thread receiving means thereon, and means to thread a strand of yarn through said thread receiving means including endless conveying means circumscribing said yarn processing element, yarn attaching means associated with said endless conveying means, driving means to move said endless conveying means, and actuating means to operatively connect said endless conveying means and said driving means whereby said yarn strand will be threaded through said thread receiving means.

14. The apparatus of claim wherein said yarn processing element comprises a heater.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said endless conveying means comprises a tape means.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said driving means comprises pulley means and said actuator means comprises a movable member and a spring element, said spring element being placed in proximity to said pulley means and constructed with a slot therein, said slot being wider in width than said pulley means and narrower in width than said endless conveying means.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said movable member is movable into contact with said endless conveying means to bring sufficient tension to bear upon said endless conveying means to cause said endless conveying means to energize said spring element, bringing said endless conveying means into contact with said pulley means.

18. Apparatus for a textile machine comprising in combination textile processing means and means constructed and arranged with said textile processing means for receiving a yarn strand and carrying said yarn strand adjacent one side of said textile processing means and over one end thereof into contact with the other side of said textile processing means.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said latter means includes an endless tape having means fixedly attached thereto for holding a yarn strand.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said tape is constructed and arranged with driven pulley means and actuator means to drive said tape around said textile processing means when said actuator means is actuated.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said driven pulley means includes a spring element constructed and arranged therewith having a slot therein, said slot being wider in width than said pulley means and narrower in width than said tape, said actuator means being constructed and arranged with said tape and pulley means to bring sufficient tension to bear upon said tape to cause said tape to depress said spring element, bringing said tape into contact with said pulley means.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3583145 Dated June 8, 1971 Inventor(s) Daniel J. Fisher, Jr.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4, line 16; "possible" should be possibly In the claims:

Column 5, line 33; "15" should be l3 Signed and sealed this 21 at day of September I 971 (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,J'R. ROBERT GOTTSCHLAK Atte sting Officer Acting Commissioner of Patents FORM eo-wso (10-69) uscowwoc wave-P09 U.S, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFF CE I959 0-366-3Sl 

1. Apparatus for a textile machine comprising in combination heater means and means constructed and arranged with said heater means for receiving a yarn strand and carrying said yarn strand in back of said heater means and over the top thereof into contact with the front of said heater means.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said latter means includes an endless tape having means fixedly attached thereto for holding a yarn strand.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said tape is constructed and arranged with driven pulley means and actuator means to drive said tape around said heater means when said actuator means is actuated.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said driven pulley means includes a spring element constructed and arranged therewith having a slot therein, said slot being wider in width than said pulley means and narrower in width than said tape, said actuator means being constructed and arranged with said tape and pulley means to bring sufficient tension to bear upon said tape to cause said tape to depress said spring element, bringing said tape into contact with said pulley means.
 5. A textile machine comprising in combination a lower heater And an upper heater, each of said heaters having a front and back and means constructed and arranged with said upper heater for (a) receiving a yarn at a point above said lower heater and below said upper heater and (b) carrying said yarn in back of said upper heater and over the top of the heater into contact with the front of said upper heater.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said latter means includes an endless tape having means fixedly attached thereto for holding a yarn strand.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said tape is constructed and arranged with driven pulley means and actuator means to drive said tape around said heater means when said actuator means is actuated.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said driven pulley means includes a spring element constructed and arranged therewith having a slot therein, said slot being wider in width than said pulley means and narrower in width than said tape, said actuator means being constructed and arranged with said tape and pulley means to bring sufficient tension to bear upon said tape to cause said tape to depress said spring element, bringing said tape into contact with said pulley means.
 9. Apparatus for use in threading up a textile machine having elements defining a yarn path through said machine comprising endless conveying means disposed adjacent to but without intersecting said yarn path, said conveying means having yarn holding means thereon to carry a yarn through at least a portion of said path to thread up at least one of said elements, and selectively engageable means to drive said endless conveying means during thread-up operation and to disengage from driving said conveying means during the remainder of the cycle of operation of said textile machine.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said endless conveying means comprises a tape means.
 11. Apparatus for use in threading up a textile machine having elements defining a yarn path through said machine comprising endless conveying means having yarn holding means thereon to carry a yarn through at least a portion of said path to thread up at least one of said elements, and means to drive said endless conveying means, said driving means comprising pulley means and an actuator means, said actuator means comprising a movable member and a spring element, said spring element being placed in proximity to said pulley means and constructed with a slot therein, said slot being wider in width than said pulley means and narrower in width than said endless conveying means.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said movable member is movable into contact with said endless conveying means to bring sufficient tension to bear upon said endless conveying means to cause said endless conveying means to energize said spring element, bringing said endless conveying means into contact with said pulley means.
 13. Apparatus for a textile machine comprising in combination a yarn processing element with thread receiving means thereon, and means to thread a strand of yarn through said thread receiving means including endless conveying means circumscribing said yarn processing element, yarn attaching means associated with said endless conveying means, driving means to move said endless conveying means, and actuating means to operatively connect said endless conveying means and said driving means whereby said yarn strand will be threaded through said thread receiving means.
 14. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said yarn processing element comprises a heater.
 15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said endless conveying means comprises a tape means.
 16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said driving means comprises pulley means and said actuator means comprises a movable member and a spring element, said spring element being placed in proximity to said pulley means and constructed with a slot therein, said slot being wider in width than said pulley means and narrower in width than said endless conveying means.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16 whereIn said movable member is movable into contact with said endless conveying means to bring sufficient tension to bear upon said endless conveying means to cause said endless conveying means to energize said spring element, bringing said endless conveying means into contact with said pulley means.
 18. Apparatus for a textile machine comprising in combination textile processing means and means constructed and arranged with said textile processing means for receiving a yarn strand and carrying said yarn strand adjacent one side of said textile processing means and over one end thereof into contact with the other side of said textile processing means.
 19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said latter means includes an endless tape having means fixedly attached thereto for holding a yarn strand.
 20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said tape is constructed and arranged with driven pulley means and actuator means to drive said tape around said textile processing means when said actuator means is actuated.
 21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said driven pulley means includes a spring element constructed and arranged therewith having a slot therein, said slot being wider in width than said pulley means and narrower in width than said tape, said actuator means being constructed and arranged with said tape and pulley means to bring sufficient tension to bear upon said tape to cause said tape to depress said spring element, bringing said tape into contact with said pulley means. 